Artist's debut exhibition confronts stigma as woman living with HIV

 

Two decades after receiving her HIV diagnosis, visual abstract artist Caroline Rajan is stepping into the public eye for the first time - and doing it on her own terms.

Her debut solo exhibition, “The Unsung Voices: Women Living with HIV”, launched yesterday at Temu House, Petaling Jaya, and offers an unflinchingly honest look at her personal journey as a woman living with HIV.

Through vivid colours, layered textures, and recurring symbols of confinement and freedom, Caroline transforms a story long kept private into art that is “honest, raw, and deeply human”.

“It all started when I went for my consultation to see my doctor. I mentioned to him that I was planning on a small ‘coming out’ exhibition to talk about women living with HIV.

“And then he suggested I reach out to see if I can work with the Malaysian Aids Council. And that’s how we’re here,” she said, explaining how a little dream of hers became so much bigger.

Coming forward and facing public stigma against HIV wasn’t an easy decision, but as she painted, Caroline said she found the courage that she had long struggled to claim.

“Initially, the exhibition was just going to be about women living with HIV. I never thought that I wanted to tell my story.

“But when I really got down to preparing the work, and really thought about the idea, about everything that needs to be put into this exhibition, it only made sense that I come out.

“And I finally found the courage to come out and speak about something that has been inside of me for so long,” she added.

The exhibition features 19 artworks - 12 large pieces charting different phases of her life, and a series of seven works centred on stigma.

Wing motifs recur throughout her paintings, which she says symbolise “the freedom she never had”.

“When you live with HIV, you imprison yourself in your mind without even realising it,” Caroline shared.

Disproportionate stigma

According to the Health Ministry’s Global Aids Monitoring 2025 report, 3,185 new HIV cases were recorded in 2024, with women accounting for 10 percent of the total.

While the figure is comparatively small compared to cases among men, advocates note that women continue to struggle with the diagnosis due to persistent misconceptions, stigma, and social pressures that disproportionately affect them.

Officiating the launch of the exhibition, prominent rights activist Marina Mahathir reflected on her tenure as president of the Malaysian Aids Council two decades ago, describing the fight against the epidemic as “unseen, silenced, and heavily stigmatised”.

“Back then, (the perception of Aids) was very much skewed towards drug users. The numbers for women were also very tiny, under one percent in the 1990s.

“Our strategy back then was to talk about women as mothers, as if there were no other women (infected by the disease). That angle appealed to people, and that’s how we pushed the issue forward.

“But it was a journey of fighting stigma, discrimination, and misogyny in so many ways,” she said.

Art as advocacy

For Caroline, one of the exhibition’s goals is to normalise testing and remove the shame that often surrounds it.

“We need to eliminate the fear around testing. People need to be accountable. If you don’t know your status, you risk your own life, and you could unknowingly contribute to rising cases.

“We don’t want it to reach a point where it’s too late,” she said.

She stressed that HIV today is fully manageable with effective and accessible medication, urging those diagnosed to seek medical care early and begin treatment immediately, as they can still live a healthy and fulfilling life

For those unsure where to begin, TestNow, an online platform developed by the Health Ministry in collaboration with the Malaysian Aids Foundation, Malaysian Aids Council, and the Global Fund, offers confidential HIV self-testing, pre-test information, risk assessments, and step-by-step guidance.

Users can also submit results securely, access directories for psychosocial support, and be linked to nearby health facilities, making it a discreet and accessible option for anyone wanting to know their status.

As visitors walk through the exhibition, Caroline hopes they carry home a message of courage, for themselves or for others.

“I just want to give women hope. To not be afraid anymore. This is manageable. Treatment works. And you can still live a full, beautiful life," she added. - Mkini